The Waning Days of Winter
(click on a photo to enlarge)
In the past week, I’ve noticed signs of spring. The cottonwoods in Tucson are leafing out, some of the flowers already spent. In St. David, about a thousand feet higher than Tucson, buds are swelling and almost ready to burst. Here in the Dragoon Mountain foothills, another thousand feet higher than St. David, spring is a bit slower to revea litself but I did manage to find one cottonwood showing signs of life. The sycamores, however, are still in their wintery nakedness.
Sycamore & Sun
In the not too distant future, the recent rains are going to work magic — there is a prediction for a good spring wildflower bloom! I took a walk around the property today looking for evidence of germinating seeds but all I could find were some black oil sunflower seedlings from seeds scattered by rodents and wind. They probably don’t “know” that many freezing nights are still possible so I doubt I’ll be seeing actual sunflower plants.
We’ve had quite a different make-up of birds at our feeders this fall and winter. Of course, the residents are always here — the House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, Mourning Doves,Canyon Towhees, Black-throated and Rufous-crowned Sparrows. House Finch and Mourning Dove numbers are triple what they were last year while goldfinches are far fewer. White-crowned Sparrow numbers are also much decreased and we are saving a bundle on thistle seed this year because Pine Siskins are less than a dozen (at one point last winter we were feeding over a hundred!). White-crowned Sparrows average about 7/day this winter compared to 5 times that many last winter. Green-tailed Towhees, Brewer’s, Lincoln’s and Vesper Sparrows have been non-existent at the feeding station since migrating through in September. Chipping Sparrows are rare.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
On the bright side, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, it’s been a wonderful year for bluebirds. I’m still seeing small flocks of both Western and Mountain as I drive around the Ranch. Woodpeckers, which never visited the feeding station last year are more common this winter. We have a pair of Gilas, an occasional Northern (red-shafted) Flicker, and a shy Ladderback that has visited but never taken food or water.
Male Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis)
Completely new are the thrashers — Curve-billed and Crissal’s. The Curve-billed was fascinated by the hopper feeder which filled up with snow when the lid blew off in our “big” snowstorm before Christmas.
Hmm, this used to be full of seeds not this white stuff!
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
After the snow was scooped out revealing the sunflower seeds, it had an enjoyable time rooting around in the seed.
Our most “unique” feeder bird this fall and winter has been a single Western (Woodhouse’s) Scrub-Jay. There are two distinct populations of scrub-jays: Pacific and Interior (Woodhouse’s). There are both plumage and personality differences between the two. Pacific are thicker-billed and more deeply colored while the interior birds are thinner-billed and duller in plumage. They are also shyer and less-conspicuous than their Pacific cousins. Our bird loves to haul away nuts that I place on the top of the feeder. This secreting of nuts and seeds occupies much of its time and energy. I don’t want to say anything but…….winter is almost over so when is it going to need all of this supplemental food? I guess some rodents will eventually enjoy the Mother Lode.
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Do I Have Enough Yet?
As much as I enjoy the winter months, I have to admit I’m looking forward to that first spring migrant. I wonder what it will be?
Published by Arlene Ripley on February 19th, 2010 Tagged Arizona, Birds, Cochise County, Nature
February 26th, 2010 at 12:50 am
Arlene,
Nice article and photos. I love the transition between the seasons and also look forward to the early migrants. Because we have such long winters here in central Oregon, I use the juncos as my tattle-tales of spring. When they start to sign, even during the snowstorms, I believe the seasonal change is underway.